Newport Center Camp Destroyed by Fire

By CHRISTOPHER ROY
Express Staff Writer
NEWPORT TOWN – Newport Center Fire Chief Kurk Flynn has high praise for the firefighters who prevented a possible explosion at a camp on the Clark Mountain Road yesterday. Firefighters responded to a fully engulfed structure at around 1:30 p.m. Flynn immediately requested mutual aid from Newport City and Troy. He also asked North Troy firefighters to be on standby.
The camp was pretty much on the ground when firefighters arrived on the scene, Flynn said. Flynn’s primary concern was two huge propane tanks that had fire coming out of them. He said several firefighters kept the tanks cool and prevented them from exploding.
Newport Ambulance Service responded to the scene to evaluate the firefighters because they were exposed to LP gas fumes.
The cause of the fire is unknown and Flynn will be meeting with a state fire investigator today. Flynn said fire destroyed the camp so badly that he could not determine exactly what the structure was. However, he thought it was a newer camp. The unidentified owner lives out of state.
Firefighters had problems getting to the property, which had a long, muddy road leading to it.
“It could have been a really bad situation if the tanks exploded while we were there,” said Flynn. “It wasn’t a normal fire. We could have had a possible hazmat situation if those thanks exploded.”
Firefighters obtained water from a dry hydrant on the Collins Farm.
Flynn spoke very highly of the Collinses for allowing firefighters access to their property.
The fire was the second of the day for firefighters. Firefighters responded to a car fire on the Collins Mill Road. The report is forthcoming; the fire is considered accidental.